June 12, 2014

Farzam fled Afghanistan with his wife and two adult sons, looking for safety and peace. They stopped in a European country hoping for temporary respite but found more grief.

Before they arrived in the country, Farzam’s youngest son had grown ill. Soon after their arrival, he died.

Grieving their loss, the family faced other challenges. The government in their country of refuge did not want them to stay. It wouldn’t allow them to work, and they had to find food.

Eventually the family came to a Baptist Global Response (BGR)-supported refugee center that provided hot meals, clothing, basic medical care and education for displaced people. Farzam and his wife even grew close to a couple of the center’s workers and cooked Afghan meals in their home.

Those workers supported these refugees in the wake of their loss. They became like family, serving each other in the midst of difficulty.

But Farzam, his wife and his remaining son needed to move on to another country where they might be able to find work and a more permanent home. When that happened, the workers at the center continued to pray for them.

World Refugee Day is June 20. Take time to remember families that need to flee their homes in the midst of war, political upheaval or natural disasters and be in prayer with BGR as they continue to pray for refugees without a home.